Hero4?

Mine will freeze quite often on start up. I'll have to pull the battery and play around with when I put in the SD card to get to boot.

Numerous times attemtping to start the camera via Wifi will freeze the unit. Terrible battery life with or without wifi on.

When recording in 2.7k at 24p the camera will freeze frame.... as in, it will say it's still recording...the counter will still count, but when I pull it into the computer, the video will freeze (while the audio will continue). It's very strange.
 
Haven't had any of those. But I pretty much use 240fps WVGA only. Well, battery life isn't great, it usually only lasts for about an hour of recording, but I don't mind that too much as it's doing slow-mo and wifi at the same time so it seems reasonable.

Clearly they need to improve it, since I looked through the Amazon reviews and saw a lot of "1-star" reviews there.
 
Yeah the amazon reviews swayed me from buying some hero 3s so far. My favorite review was the "brown edition" one.

I'm glad some people are having success with them.
I haven't yet used the sony action cams underwater. There is a new firmware update that gives them 1080 60p and improved underwater performance that I'm looking forward to.

The short battery life is a real problem for me on the gopros.
I mount these things up in the light rails at dance recitals and all sorts of weird places at weddings and just let them roll until a point where someone can go stop them. If it died in an hour or less I'd lose a lot of shots. Thankfully the Sonys run quite a while.

The Sonys tend to require post work fixing the color to use with my panasonics because the sky is too blue and some colors are extra bright.

I like the 2.7k hero 3 option for reframing and possibly sharper and more neutral picture.
I imagine the next time around both of them will be awesome. For now I'm going to have to make due with a couple action cams I guess.
 
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Complaining about battery life on GoPro is one of the most ridiculous things people can write. It's a helmet/POV action camera, not event camera. Wearing additional 2 lbs on your head while skiing, biking or climbing is not a real option. GoPro sells also battery pack, which will give you additional time, plus you can use USB to keep charging it while the camera is on: http://gopro.com/hd-hero-accessories/hero3-battery-bacpac.
 
snowblindfilm said:
Complaining about battery life on GoPro is one of the most ridiculous things people can write. It's a helmet/POV action camera, not event camera. Wearing additional 2 lbs on your head while skiing, biking or climbing is not a real option. GoPro sells also battery pack, which will give you additional time, plus you can use USB to keep charging it while the camera is on: http://gopro.com/hd-hero-accessories/hero3-battery-bacpac.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree. I'm not looking for all day battery life... I'd simply like to see the Hero3 match the Hero2 in battery life. I use mine for timelapses. Often high off the ground or on rooftops, where power isn't accessible. And mine will die in timelapse mode after an hour, tops. Usually shorter. In addition, I can fully charge my Hero3 today, put it in my camera bag, and by tomorrow, it will be at 2/3rds battery.

So I don't think ALL complaints about the battery are unjust.
 
awelgraven said:
When recording in 2.7k at 24p the camera will freeze frame.... as in, it will say it's still recording...the counter will still count, but when I pull it into the computer, the video will freeze (while the audio will continue). It's very strange.
Click to expand...

It's possible it may be your graphics card can't keep up. I have a pretty weak graphics card, it handles 1080 fairly well, but the 2.7K was too much for it to handle.
 
gandalfrodo said:
It's possible it may be your graphics card can't keep up. I have a pretty weak graphics card, it handles 1080 fairly well, but the 2.7K was too much for it to handle.
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I wish that was the case. It's not a playback issue (for me, anyway.) Multiple computers and media players... the video freezes at particular point and the audio continues. Other people have had this problem. The only solution that's worked for me is to not record at 2.7k and turn ProTune off. That keeps the issue from happening.

I can go through it frame by frame in Premiere or FCPx or FCP7 and the video stops, while the audio continues. Same spot in each editor.
 
snowblindfilm said:
Complaining about battery life on GoPro is one of the most ridiculous things people can write. It's a helmet/POV action camera, not event camera. Wearing additional 2 lbs on your head while skiing, biking or climbing is not a real option. GoPro sells also battery pack, which will give you additional time, plus you can use USB to keep charging it while the camera is on: http://gopro.com/hd-hero-accessories/hero3-battery-bacpac.
Click to expand...
My complaint with GoPro battery life was in relation to using it scuba diving, and I did say that using Protune and the LCD back (Wi-Fi off) flattened it more quickly. Since it doesn't seem to even last throughout a single normal dive, I don't think the complaint is at all ridiculous. Underwater, using USB to top up charge is hardly an option, and the LCD back stops the use of the additional battery pack - it's LCD OR battery, you can't use both together.

I like the GoPro and don't regret my purchase, but it is certainly not without it's flaws - and not being able to use extra battery and LCD together must be one of them. (For heavens sake, it's using the LCD as a rudimentary viewfinder that will increase battery drain and make the extra battery more necessary!) It's a similar point with the 3D housing, and since I intend to get another Hero 3 I'd be keen to try that out. Unfortunately, it's not possible to use any LCD screen when the coupling cable is attached...... There are many aspects to GoPro design that impress me very much - but a few that just leave me thinking DOH!!
 
awelgraven said:
Mine will freeze quite often on start up. I'll have to pull the battery and play around with when I put in the SD card to get to boot.

Numerous times attemtping to start the camera via Wifi will freeze the unit. Terrible battery life with or without wifi on.

When recording in 2.7k at 24p the camera will freeze frame.... as in, it will say it's still recording...the counter will still count, but when I pull it into the computer, the video will freeze (while the audio will continue). It's very strange.
Click to expand...

use class 10 sd card, branded, not some low brand sd card for $10
sandisk, kingstone or lexar class 10 sd cards are best, use one of those
 
Even not using gopros for events, the questionable/short battery life is a big concern for me. For instance using it canoing, on a vehicle, skiing etc... constantly worried it may have already died and unable to stop right then and check. Losing shots that can't be redone would be frustrating.
 
awelgraven said:
I respectfully disagree. I'm not looking for all day battery life... I'd simply like to see the Hero3 match the Hero2 in battery life. I use mine for timelapses. Often high off the ground or on rooftops, where power isn't accessible. And mine will die in timelapse mode after an hour, tops. Usually shorter. In addition, I can fully charge my Hero3 today, put it in my camera bag, and by tomorrow, it will be at 2/3rds battery.

So I don't think ALL complaints about the battery are unjust.
Click to expand...

Reading this thread made this come to mind....anyone tried this or something similar before?

http://www.amazon.com/New-Trent-iCa...d=1375364521&sr=1-7&keywords=portable+charger
 
oreskec said:
use class 10 sd card, branded, not some low brand sd card for $10
sandisk, kingstone or lexar class 10 sd cards are best, use one of those
Click to expand...
Firstly, I have been using class 10 sandisks, and bought from a reliable source. The GoPro/Sandisk compatability issue seems well documented on forums - I only wish I'd read them before getting mine. Secondly, of the cards you recommend, GoPro themselves only recommend Lexar - they DON'T recommend Sandisk or Kingstone, see - http://gopro.com/support/articles/software-update-release . (I only found that out after getting the Sandisk card.)
 
If you guys are getting poor battery life and lock ups with any brand of card, make sure you have the latest firmware installed. Since the last update I did in May or June, I haven't had a single lockup and the battery life is now close to or more than an hour of continuous use.

Issue's aside, this thing is an amazing tool. There simply is no other tool the "average" person can get that will give these kinds of shot.

Here's my demo reel of GoPro clips starting last year with a Hero2 and then since Christmas with a Hero3 Black.
https://vimeo.com/68218671

Cheers,
Pete
 
c3hammer said:
Since the last update I did in May or June, I haven't had a single lockup and the battery life is now close to or more than an hour of continuous use.
Click to expand...
But presumably about an hour without using Protune or the LCD back.....?
Issue's aside, this thing is an amazing tool. There simply is no other tool the "average" person can get that will give these kinds of shot.
Click to expand...
Fully agreed. In spite of the criticisms, then yes, an amazing tool, and that's why I'm thinking of getting a second. It's just a bit frustrating that being so good in so many ways there are a few sillys about the design - and not being able to use extra battery AND LCD screen is probably the most obvious.
 
oreskec said:
use class 10 sd card, branded, not some low brand sd card for $10
sandisk, kingstone or lexar class 10 sd cards are best, use one of those
Click to expand...

I've never bought a low brand SD card. I use a SanDisk (legit, from B&H) Class 10 card.
 
c3hammer said:
If you guys are getting poor battery life and lock ups with any brand of card, make sure you have the latest firmware installed. Since the last update I did in May or June, I haven't had a single lockup and the battery life is now close to or more than an hour of continuous use.

Issue's aside, this thing is an amazing tool. There simply is no other tool the "average" person can get that will give these kinds of shot.

Here's my demo reel of GoPro clips starting last year with a Hero2 and then since Christmas with a Hero3 Black.
https://vimeo.com/68218671

Cheers,
Pete
Click to expand...

I've done each firmware update as they come out and nothing has changed the battery life or freezing issues. I wish I'd known that GoPro didn't recommend SanDisk cards, but honestly, shouldn't a modern device be able to take SanDisk (they have to be one of the most popular and reliable card manufacturers) cards without freezing?
 
ASChear, I use that very New Trent unit with my GoPro. I had three batteries and with that charger I was able to shoot every day for two weeks on a kayak expedition. Awesome combo.
 
I spoke with someone close to GoPro about the Hero4 and was told, "I know the board they're using. Expect 4k at up to 30fps." Total hearsay, I know. But there ya go...
 
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